When one thinks of “The Baddest Man on the Planet”, it's usually former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson that comes to mind. However, recently, with the blessing of Tyson, Francis Ngannou has taken that moniker.
Ngannou is an MMA fighter who got into boxing after showing interest as a kid. “The Predator” went from the sand mines of Cameroon to UFC heavyweight champion to competing against the best in the world in boxing.
In October, he entered a professional boxing ring for the first time in his life. While losing against WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Ngannou embarrassed the Brit, knocking him down in the third round before dropping a razor-close split decision.
Not given a chance by boxing enthusiasts pre-fight, his performance opened everyone's eyes to his potential.
On March 8, Ngannou will face former unified heavyweight champ Anthony Joshua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A win could lead to a world title shot and he will also be competing in MMA under the Professional Fighters League.
WATCH: Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou, exclusively live on DAZN
But it was the UFC that introduced this incredible combat sportsman to the world. Just how good was Ngannou when with the promotion?
The Sporting News looks into Ngannou's long career inside the octagon.
Francis Ngannou's UFC record, titles won
Turning pro in 2013, Ngannou joined the UFC in 2015. He went 12-2 with the promotion and had 10 wins via knockout.
Ngannou debuted with a win against Luis Henrique and then beat Curtis Blaydes. In what was considered his first major test, he knocked out former world champion Andrei Arlovski in 2017. Ngannou followed that up by uppercutting Alistair Overeem into another universe, giving MMA fans the idea that he was unstoppable.
That feeling wouldn't last. In 2018, Ngannou looked mortal in a decision loss to Stipe Miocic for the UFC heavyweight title, and a meek losing effort to Derrick Lewis brought the hype train to a halt.
MORE: Ranked: The 25 best MMA fighters under the age of 25
However, Ngannou quickly stormed back by once again derailing the momentum of Blaydes, which was one of six straight wins, with five coming via the power punch.
After stopping Cain Velasquez, Junior dos Santos, and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, all in the first round, Ngannou faced Miocic in a rematch for the UFC heavyweight title. At UFC 260 in 2021, Ngannou knocked Miocic off his feet and down for the count to win gold for the first time.
And then things turned sour. In a controversial move, the UFC booked an interim title fight when an inactive Ngannou wasn't ready to compete. Facing interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane in January 2022, Ngannou used a surprising wrestling-based offense to neutralize his opponent for five rounds.
Why did Francis Ngannou leave UFC?
Following failed negotiations on a new contract, the UFC opted to waive its matching rights clause, making him a free agent.
At the heart of the dispute: fighter pay.
MORE: Anthony Joshua saved heavyweight boxing in 2023
Speaking on Ariel Helwani's MMA Hour, Ngannou told Helwani that he wanted to try and compromise with the UFC on the following:
- three-fight deal
- right to sponsorship
- health insurance
- fighter advocate to represent fighters in meetings
Fighter pay was an initial issue for Jon Jones, then the UFC light heavyweight champion, who met with UFC brass regarding a super fight with Ngannou. Jones later relinquished the title and focused on a move to heavyweight when his demands weren't met.
Ngannou's demands were not agreed upon, making it easy for Ngannou to relinquish the UFC heavyweight title and close the door on his career with the promotion.